For owners and managers, decision-making goes with the territory. We can’t escape it. It’s an important part of the job. Even if an executive presides over an inclusive, democratic decision-making process, he or she must still make sure that process is effective and efficient and doesn’t lead to grid lock. Decisions are what move an organization from where it is to where it wants to go, so allowing grid lock to creep in will bring an organization to a grinding halt. To avoid grid lock, please read below.
“A decision is an action an executive must take when he has information so incomplete that the answer does not suggest itself.”
We’ve all heard of “analysis paralysis,” right? And most of us have probably seen it in action. It’s the decision-maker who won’t make a decision. There’s always one bit of information missing that he or she needs before making a decision. Then another. And another, on infinitum.
The message here is clear. Don’t wait until you have all the information you need to make a perfect decision, because you’ll never have it. That’s not to say that important decisions should be hasty or rushed, but leaders need to discipline themselves to recognize when they have assembled as much information and as many opinions as they reasonably can, and that further delay will not produce a better decision.
Decision-making is more art form than science. It mixes data with experience, good thinking with instinct. So don’t allow its imperfect nature cause a thoughtful and deliberate decision-making process slip into procrastination and unnecessary delay. As the folks at Nike would say, “Just do it!”
